The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for determining the oil/water content of oil-water mixtures.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 1.3 million gallons (4.9 million liters) of petroleum are spilled into U.S. waters from vessels and pipelines in a typical year. A major oil spill could easily double that amount. Generally, mechanical surface skimmers remove oil and oil-water mixtures from surface water.
Present systems for measuring oil content in oil-water mixtures encounter difficulties when the oil-water mixture has high electrical conductivity, as can occur with seawater or any highly saline water found in industrial or oil and gas applications. In addition, present systems encounter difficulties when there is air in the sensor pipe. It would be desirable to provide systems and methods that address these difficulties.